Argh.
Got a new R100 for Levi, came today. I was hoping we'd get small harness covers, but they're the honkin' big ones.
From what I can find online (mainly car-seat.org) in Canada we are not required to use them while RF, but are required to use them FF. But then in the US, no harness covers are required, RF or FF, at all.
Apparently the seats passed RF and FF both, with and without harness covers, but they passed the "with covers" info to Transport Canada, so we're stuck with having them required.

So, wwyd? Use them as per instructions, or not use them... which would be fine if only I lived 45 minutes south of myself!
I hate these things. Levi hates them. And I really don't feel comfortable with the strap fit at all with them on. If I at least felt like they were safe, I'd be fine with it, but I don't.

Honestly...I wouldn't use them. When we first got a radian for Addi is came with those crazy covers and I didn't feel comfortable with them. They were so big that the harness seemed loose to me...plus they were so bulky and strange! I know it is required ffing in Canada....but honestly I wouldn't use them

Thanks for chiming in, Shannon! That's about the look Levi gave me when I buckled him in - WTF mom?! Then he said "let me out. I don't like this." And then he started gaggin a bit. He just really doesn't like stuff on his neck like that. He's totally fine and loves his "new bwack seat" without the covers - even buckled all his and his brothers' stuffies in it yesterday

And, yes Brittney, they cover the whole strap (at least on Levi) from where it comes out of the cover, down to where it buckles (well, except where the chest clip is) These are the "canadian harness covers". In the US, apparently, a couple years ago they tried using these covers, too - people were unhappy and they changed to the normal smaller/thinner covers (ones that would only be above the chest clip, kwim?), and they're only a comfort thing in the US, not required at all for either RF or FF.

They're terrible. They're HUGE.
Apparently Diono passed the "with covers" results to TC only because they got slightly lower chest g's with the covers than without. But it passed crash tests both ways, both up here and in the US.
That's the really silly thing - literally 40 minutes south of me is the US... where suddenly I wouldn't need the darn covers?!

I think we're making the choice not to use them. We'll see how I feel in a while - right now I'm feeling terribly guilty, "breaking" the rules and not following manufacturer's instructions

yep at 15 mths old (that was dd in the pic) they went from crotch buckle to cover at the shoulders and I never felt like the harness got tight enough because of them. It was more than annoying and just so bulky and weird!

Elena....I know what you mean about 'breaking rules' but tbh I really don't see the issue with NOT using them. But if I were a tech of course I could never tell you that. But as a mom and friend who has done her carseat research I would say not to worry about it.

Shannon - The really silly thing, and the thing that makes me feel okay about not using them, is that in the US the harness covers are just for baby's comfort, so the strap isn't right on their neck/shoulder. Yet up here we need these giant things inhibiting our ability to properly buckle... for more safety?! Doesn't add up to me.

Wow, those are some crazy harness covers! My kids hate the ones we have in the us, and even my 20mo is capable of taking them off. That seems ridiculous... It does seem like it would be hard to tighten too.

They do - you feel like they're not tight, and they aren't based on how much movement Levi still had in the seat with them on, and you can't check for tightness at all because of where the stupid things cover!
Seriously bad design plan on that one, IMO.